This study investigated the relationships between the employment statuses of African American husbands and wives, and their marital happiness. Data for 234 husbands and 292 wives were obtained from the 1980-86 General Social Surveys. The data corroborated earlier findings that African American husbands indicated greater marital happiness than did wives. The findings coincide with findings for whites, and support the general idea that husbands benefit more from marriage than wives. Full- time employment for husbands was associated with intermediate levels of happiness for both spouses. The work status for husbands that was associated with the lowest marital happiness for both husbands and wives was unemployment. Any status other than unemployed was a preferable status for husbands. If the husband perceived himself, or was perceived by his wife, to be productively occupied, marital happiness appeared to be enhanced. Households in which wives worked full-time did not have the highest levels of marital happiness. Wives who worked full-time evidenced the lowest levels of marital happiness, and husbands whose wives worked full time showed the second lowest level of marital happiness. (LLL)